Help ! Cylinder head rubber plug falls into engin

Hi

I recently bought from ebay USA a 1980 kz1300 and could not get it to fire on number 6. So I decided to check the valve clearances but unfortunatley one of the cylinder head rubber plugs fell into the camshaft chain tunnel and I did not realise until I hit the starter motor and the engine would not turn over. I have tried to fish it out with my fingers but no joy. I presume for the worse and will have to remove the head, but surely something liek this has happened before is there another way ? Please some one tell me that I dont have to split the crankcase!

Depends on where it got stuck, if is fell down to the crank and got pinched by the timing chain, you could rotate the engine backwards just enough to get it loose. Can you see down there with a mirror. If you can get it loose and pull it up and out your golden, if it drops into the oil pan, then you can drop the pan to get it out. I can't see you having to split the engine.

I assume your talking about the rubber cam plugs for the valve cover, those are pretty good size you should be able to use a mirror and flashlight to find it.

It may have gone all the way down into your oil pan / sump.

Remove that before you take the head or anything else off.

You may lucky.

Pete F
UK

I dropped a small rubber block off the camchain idler down there and it came out through the sump plug with the oil...lucky. Maybe with the sump off and one of those endoscopes if you can get hold of one you may be able to see where it is and hopefully get it out without anything nasty happening, good luck..I'm near you in Southport..but I'm not a mechanic

If you can manage to "see" the rubber plug in the lower section of the engine then you could use a 4 fingered retrieval tool like this one to get it out. They're invaluable. They have the ability to pick up /retrieve non magnetic items. The flex neck can be bent to get the tool into unusual places. And best of all, they're cheap. This pic is of one on Amazon.com for $8.50.

Kawboy wrote: If you can manage to "see" the rubber plug in the lower section of the engine then you could use a 4 fingered retrieval tool like this one to get it out. They're invaluable. They have the ability to pick up /retrieve non magnetic items. The flex neck can be bent to get the tool into unusual places. And best of all, they're cheap. This pic is of one on Amazon.com for $8.50.

Yes these things are the SHIT!

I was pouring oil into my car and didn't the little piece of foil from the seal pour in with it.... I was able to pick it out with the little grabber. Glad I had one!